Lili Taylor Finds Peace Through Birdwatching

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – "Lili Taylor Finds Peace Through Birdwatching"

Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Lily Taylor, Actress and Author
Release Date: May 5, 2025
Duration: Approximately 22 minutes

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Introduction to Lily Taylor and Birdwatching

In this episode of All Of It, host Alison Stewart welcomes actress Lily Taylor to discuss her newfound passion for birdwatching and its profound impact on her life and career.

[00:00] Alison Stewart:
"Maybe you've seen actor Lily Taylor on TV playing Mary Todd Lincoln in Manhunt or in American Crime or in film like I Shot Andy Warhol and of course, Mystic Pizza. Or maybe you've seen her roaming around the city, binoculars at the ready, because acting is Lily's day job. Birding is how she taps into nature, fine-tunes her powers of observation, and experiences peace and awe."

Lily's Journey into Birdwatching

Lily shares how birdwatching became more than just a hobby, especially during a sabbatical caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

[01:20] Lily Taylor:
"I sort of had a Covid moment 20 years prior and that I was tuckered out and needed a break and went upstate to my house and sort of had a little sabbatical and, and it was quiet. And that's when I started to realize there were things going on out there that weren't generic. They were specific."

She elaborates on the transformation from generic to meaningful observation, highlighting the shift from perceiving bird sounds as mere noise to recognizing them as expressions of living entities.

[01:55] Lily Taylor:
"Like it transformed from a Disney chirp to something with meaning to something that came from a real living thing."

The Philosophy of Listening

Birdwatching has deepened Lily's approach to both her personal life and her craft as an actor, emphasizing the importance of active listening.

[02:18] Lily Taylor:
"Listening is the main skill and it is a skill that I use with birding and it's really the main skill I use with acting. And it's the most important listening."

She discusses how being present and truly listening enhances her relationships and performances.

[02:53] Lily Taylor:
"Exactly. And in conversations... you just get back up on the horse and try again. There's like, no failing. You just keep. And it's like you can do it because you just focus and you start to listen."

The Genesis of Her Book

Lily delves into the creation of her book, Turning to the Power and Beauty of Noticing, describing it as an evolution from her theatrical endeavors.

[03:32] Lily Taylor:
"I've been working on a one-woman show for about seven years called Birdland... and then I showed my manager some of Birdland and he said, hmm, why don't you meet this book agent, David Kuhn? ... It's such a brilliant way to help, like a novice begin."

Engaging with the Community

The conversation shifts to how birdwatching opens doors to interactions with others and the challenges of embracing this new identity.

[05:19] Lily Taylor:
"It's just a glance. I mean, the eye can't hurt me. That stare can't hurt me. And so what if... And then, of course, I realized it is an invitation and it's a way for people to open up a door or for them to share a story."

Philosophical Insights and Emotional Impact

Lily reflects on a philosophical concept that resonates deeply with her birdwatching experiences.

[07:00] Lily Taylor:
"Something else is... feeling awe is a powerful Feeling. And in fact, it means frightening. And so I think that sometimes I feel like I can't handle a powerful feeling."

She connects this to her acting, explaining how birdwatching has made her more gentle with herself amidst the intensity of her profession.

[08:53] Lily Taylor:
"It's made me a little bit more gentle with myself... It's like a muscle. And so it's like I feel like I've got some stuff operating that are. That's like, yeah, I'm in the zone."

Audience Interaction and Practical Tips

The episode includes calls and texts from listeners, providing Lily with an opportunity to share practical advice and app recommendations for aspiring birdwatchers.

[11:13] Janice:
"I have an app on my iPhone that listens to the bird wherever I am and it tells me, you know, identifies the bird and you can get a picture of the bird..."

[11:44] Lily Taylor:
"Merlin ID, Birdcast, Sibley eBird, iNaturalist, Radar special, radar maps, wind apps."

Lily suggests innovative solutions for bird enthusiasts, such as using baby monitors to capture bird songs inside the house.

[16:57] Alison Stewart:
"Hold on, hold on."

[16:59] Lily Taylor:
"Baby monitor. Put the little speaker outside. I have it. It's the best, and it's cheap."

Personal Stories and Community Engagement

Listener Evelyn shares her profound connection with birdwatching from her farm in Mendham, New Jersey, emphasizing the spiritual and peaceful moments birds bring into daily life.

[12:09] Evelyn:
"Every morning I fill up the feeder with seeds... I've become these little old ladies that like get so excited about birds."

Lily responds with empathy and encouragement, reinforcing the joys of observing birds.

[21:17] Alison Stewart:
"How do you fit birding into your day job as an actor?"

[21:22] Lily Taylor:
"It's like, I. Cause they're everywhere and I'm. I'm not fussy... it gives me moments of peace."

Conclusion and Upcoming Events

The episode wraps up with information about Lily's upcoming book discussion at the Strand and appreciation for the callers.

[22:05] Alison Stewart:
"Lily Taylor will be discussing her book at the Strand tonight at 7pm... Thanks to all our callers and folks who texted in."

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Notable Quotes:

• Lily Taylor at [02:18]:
  "Listening is the main skill and it is a skill that I use with birding and it's really the main skill I use with acting. And it's the most important listening."

• Lily Taylor at [07:17]:
  "I think something else is. For me, I think feeling awe is a powerful Feeling. And in fact, it means frightening."

• Lily Taylor at [20:56]:
  "It's totally democratic. I know, that's. I'm trying to break the whole stigma. Go. Just start looking at a bird."

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Final Thoughts:

In this engaging episode, Lily Taylor eloquently intertwines her passions for acting and birdwatching, illustrating how the art of noticing and listening profoundly enhances both her personal life and professional craft. Her insights offer listeners a contemplative look into finding peace and connection through the simple yet profound practice of observing the natural world.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

All of it is supported by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart choice. Make another smart choice with Auto Quote Explorer to compare rates for multiple car insurance companies all at once. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy. This is all of it on Alison on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Maybe you've seen actor Lily Taylor on TV playing Mary Todd Lincoln in Manhunt or in American Crime or in film like I Shot Andy Warhol and of course, Mystic Pizza. Or maybe you've seen her roaming around the city, binoculars at the ready, because acting is Lily's day job. Birding is how she taps into nature, fine tunes, her powers of observation and experiences peace and awe. She writes about it in her new book, Turning to the Power and Beauty of Noticing. And Lily is serious. She is also a board member of the National Audubon Society, the American Birding association, and the New York Bird Alliance. Despite it being peak migration season, she joins us now in studio to discuss. Lily, welcome.

[Lily Taylor]

Hi.

[Alison Stewart]

So how did you get into birding?

[Lily Taylor]

You know, I sort of had a Covid moment 20 years prior and that I was tuckered out and needed a break and went upstate to my house and sort of had a little sabbatical and, and it was quiet. And that's when I started to realize there were things going on out there that weren't generic. They were specific. And that's what happened to a lot of people during COVID Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

When you talk about generic versus specific, are you talking about the different sounds the birds made?

[Lily Taylor]

Yeah, like the, like it transformed from a Disney chirp to something with meaning to something that came from a real living thing.

[Alison Stewart]

It sounds like from reading your book that it's not a hobby. It's sort of an approach to life. Birding became that way for you. How do you see it impacting other parts of your life?

[Lily Taylor]

Well, listening, listening is the main skill and it is a skill that I use with birding and it's really the main skill I use with acting. And it's the most important. It's the most important listening and, and really, like, listen. I mean, people love to be listened to. You know, it's sort of something that you can use everywhere in your life. And I realize how often I'm not listening. But the great thing you're thinking about.

[Alison Stewart]

Like you said in the book, you're thinking about, oh, what am I having for dinner? Am I having steak? Am I having this, that you weren't really, you were hearing them, but you weren't really listening.

[Lily Taylor]

Exactly. And in conversations. And I, like, I can't believe how most of the time I'm really not here. But the great thing about listening is you just get back up on the horse and try again. There's like, no failing. You just keep. And it's like you can do it because you just focus and you start to listen.

[Alison Stewart]

It's so interesting in the acknowledgments of your book. It explains how the book came to be. This book's trajectory reminds me of a ball on a Rube Goldberg machine. Each action triggering the initiation of the next one. So what initially was the action that started it and then how did it go down, this list of people?

[Lily Taylor]

Yeah, you know, I think actors, when we're not acting, we need to find something creative to do. And so I've always sort of dabbled in writing in various ways. And then I'd been working on a one woman show for about seven years called Birdland, kind of with some of the same themes. And then I showed my manager some of Birdland and he said, hmm, why don't you meet this book agent, David Kuhn? And so I went and met David and he said, why don't you email me, give me, send me an email about a bird. And that was that. And it was. It's such a brilliant way to help, like a novice begin. Sure.

[Alison Stewart]

Do you remember what the.

[Lily Taylor]

Good question. I know I was gonna go look that up, what that was. I wonder if it was maybe chimney swifts. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Listeners, do you have any questions about birding or you want to share your love about bird? Love about birding? Call us or text us right now. 212-433-WNYC 212-433-9692. You want to know how to get started? You can ask Lily a question. Our Phone number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. I am talking to Lily Taylor, the author of a new book, Turning to the Beauty and Power of Noticing. I want to say that Lily will be discussing her book at the Strand Ton along with Ada Calhoun. For tickets, head to strandbooks.com it was interesting. You talked about when you're wearing your binoculars, your bins, people come up and they will talk to you. It's an invitation for people to come up and talk to you. And you had to get comfortable with strangers talking to you. Was it hard to get comfortable with strangers coming up to you.

[Lily Taylor]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think most people seem to have. It's hard to put oneself out there in the world, and especially, like, when you're declaring, like, kind of that you're maybe doing something a little bit different. We all want to be or not. I won't speak for everybody. I want to be a part of. I don't want to be different from the tribe. In a way, I want to be accepted. And so, yeah, there's like. When you're looked at, like, with weird glances, is uncomfortable, but it's sort of like, well, what? It's just a glance. I mean, the eye can't hurt me. That stare can't hurt me. And so what if. So what? And then, of course, I realized it is an invitation and it's a way for people to open up a door or for them to share a story.

[Alison Stewart]

Is the reaction different from people who recognize you from film or television? You know, the way somebody say, oh, you're the actor who did X versus, oh, you're the actor who did X. And you, bird.

[Lily Taylor]

Well, sometimes it happens. If I've invited them in, it might happen midway through where I can see their wheels turning, and I just say, it's movies and tv. That's what it's from. I know. And you'll figure out which one you know me from. Maybe tonight, but it'll happen. And then sometimes they don't even know. They're just so fixated now on looking up.

[Alison Stewart]

Interesting. So they're fixated on whatever bird that you were both watching.

[Lily Taylor]

That's right, exactly.

[Alison Stewart]

So you have something in communion.

[Lily Taylor]

Exactly, exactly.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, that's interesting.

[Lily Taylor]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

One of the sections of the book that really spoke to me was when you're on a hike in New Mexico and you remember a philosopher that said, no contempt prior to investigation.

[Lily Taylor]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Why does that resonate with you? And how do you put that into practice?

[Lily Taylor]

Well, I think one of my first responses is no. And so I need all the help I can do to say yes. And I don't know why. I have resistances, I have fears. Who knows, maybe how I'm wired. But that phrase, I probably use it at least once a day, if not more. And that's. And of course, I was taking that hike in New Mexico and I wanted to turn around and go back into the car, and I said that no contempt prior to investigation. And I kept going step by step. And then, of course, a whole world opened up. You know, I think something else is. For me, I think feeling awe is a powerful Feeling. And in fact, it means frightening. And so I think that sometimes I feel like I can't handle a powerful feeling. And so I'm already kind of pushing it away before. And then, of course, I never die. It's always okay, I can handle it. And not only that I'm filled up.

[Alison Stewart]

With something, but isn't it your job as an actor to feel powerful feelings?

[Lily Taylor]

Yeah. It might be even why I might be a little nervous about in real life, because I do feel things pretty intensely. And that's why I love to act, because I love to be in the realm of feelings. But it's a lot.

[Alison Stewart]

How has birding changed your acting?

[Lily Taylor]

It's made me. It's made me a little bit more gentle with myself in that because. So it'd be impossible for me to always be in the moment as an actor because I'd be crazy. I would be in a psych ward. I have an ego. I have myself with the character. So to expect myself to always be in the moment is unrealistic. And so it's helped me to kind of when I drift away, like I do when I drift away with a bird, I can just say, it's okay, just come on back, you know, Just come back, you know. And so it's made me. Me a little gentler with myself. It's made me. My senses feel more. I've become a better noticer. I just have. Because it is a skill. So it's like a muscle. And so it's like I feel like I've got some stuff operating that are. That's like, yeah, I'm in the zone.

[Alison Stewart]

We've got a text here that says, discovered in the last few years both this quote and truth from listening, it is the birds sing that makes us happy.

[Lily Taylor]

The birds sing.

[Alison Stewart]

Singing that makes us happy.

[Lily Taylor]

That's right. That's right. I even heard, like a bird that sometimes birds don't even have a reason to sing. They're just singing. And I like that, too.

[Alison Stewart]

Well, you say that when you go to a new place, you look for the birders and the birds because they know.

[Lily Taylor]

That's right.

[Alison Stewart]

Because they know. What do they know? What do they know?

[Lily Taylor]

They know where it's at.

[Alison Stewart]

My guest is actor Lily Taylor. She's the author of the new book Turning to the Beauty and Power of of Noticing Listeners. If you have any questions about birding or you want to share what you love about birding, call or text us. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC we'll have more after a very quick break. This is all of it. You are listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. In studio, we have actor and author Lily Taylor. Her new book is Turning to the Beauty and power of Noticing. Let's take some calls. Let's talk to Janice calling from New Jersey. Hi, Janice, thank you so much for making the time to call all of it.

[Janice]

Hi, thanks for taking the call.

[Alison Stewart]

Sure.

[Lily Taylor]

Oh.

[Janice]

So the reason I called was that I have an app on my iPhone that listens to the bird wherever I am and it tells me, you know, identifies the bird and you can get a picture of the bird and then you can send it, if you like, to whoever operates this app. Okay, so it's Cornell Labs, but the app is called Merlin ID M E R L I N I D. Thanks for the tip.

[Alison Stewart]

Do you use apps, Lily? All right.

[Lily Taylor]

Heck yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, tell us what they are.

[Lily Taylor]

Merlin id Birdcast, Sibley Ebird, Inaturalist, Radar special, radar maps, apps, wind apps.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's take a call from Evelyn who is calling from Mendham, New Jersey. Hi Evelyn. Thank you so much for calling all of it.

[Evelyn]

Hey. Oh my God, I love this content so much. I live on a farm in Mendham and on my patio I've got two separate feeders and a bird bath. And every morning I fill up the feeder with seeds. And some of the most exhilarating but also very spiritually calming moments have been observing the birds that come to my feeder. Side note, I originally got the wind. I've got one sucked suction cup to my window and I got that one for my cat so she could watch the birds. But now I watch the birds and I have this old copy of Birds of North America and I've dog eared all the pages of the birds that I have seen that, you know, either on the farm or at my windowsill. And I remember one morning in particular, I came down to make my tea in the morning and there was a rose breasted grosbeak at my feeder. And I was like, you stop and stare. And I was like, oh my gosh, I've never seen this bird before. What is it? And it was just so fun to watch. Just I laugh with my friend who's my age. We've become these little old lady, well, not old because we're only 50, but these little old ladies that like get so excited about birds. But there really is something. I saw two Baltimore Orioles flying around so I immediately filled my oriole feeder which is like oranges and grape jelly and stuff. And I'm like, please come so I can see you. It's just that in this kind of atmosphere that we're living in now, it's these brief moments of joy that seeing a bird brings to you that kind of just gives you a moment to take a breath. And as you were saying, just like, be right then. Be. Be in the moment and watch them and appreciate them for what they are and what they bring. They could be small. They could be big. I've seen blue herons flying over the river.

[Lily Taylor]

I hear you.

[Evelyn]

There are no words like, they really can bring you peace.

[Lily Taylor]

I'm so. I'm gonna be thinking about you taking in all those moments of joy.

[Alison Stewart]

You are not just a casual birder. You are a serious birder. You sit on the boards of the National Audubon Society. How did you go from casually, someone who likes to watch birds, like Arctis caller did, to being this involved?

[Lily Taylor]

Yeah, well, when I was asked to be on the board of Audubon, I was shocked, you know? Cause as an actor, I bet a lot of actors just that all we do is play, really. I mean, we just play all the time. And so it's, like, to be allowed in with the grownups was very. I mean, I felt very excited and proud and privileged. And the stakes were raised for me, like, to take it in from just a love, a hobby, to being more like an ambassador. You know, birds don't have a voice technically, so how can we speak and help them on their behalf, fighting for policies, so on. So I've gone to the Hill and asked, you know, senators and representatives, and that was very exciting.

[Alison Stewart]

Ooh, tell us more about that.

[Lily Taylor]

I know, exactly. The old thespian went up on the Hill. Yeah. And it was fantastic. And that's when you really start to feel like, wow, like, this is where stuff gets done. Requesting for the Migratory Bird Treaty act, which is a really simple ask, you know, really. Just basically all we're doing is asking just to keep some protections we're not taking away from anybody. And hearing these representatives, who are so busy listen and take their. And then a lot of times they have a bird story or, God, you know, my grandma, you know, or. So you start talking and see, birds will just, like, keep opening the doors.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's take another call. Ali, who is calling from Greenwich, Connecticut. Hi, Ali. Thanks for making the time to call. All of it. You're on the air.

[Janice]

Hi. So this is another birding app. The Cornell one, of course, is fantastic. I got one called a. It's a bird weather. It's called the app. And you take this little device. I think it was about. It was kind of pricey. It was $200 or so. But you put it outside, it listens to the birds, and then it gives you a list of what you have been hearing and how many times. And it also sends that information back to some central server that you can then look up and see what other people have been listening to. But what I'm dying to find out, and I'll take the answer offline, I would love to hear the bird songs inside the house. And I haven't found a good device out there where you can put a little microphone and have it transmit directly into your house. And I wish someone would come up with that or if you know about it.

[Alison Stewart]

Hold on, hold on.

[Lily Taylor]

Baby monitor. Baby monitor. Put the little speaker outside. I have it. It's the best, and it's cheap. And while you're working with that one, if the audio is not to your liking, just keep looking for, you know, good gear from B and H or, you know, some good audio store. But baby monitor will get you through.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Jennifer calling in from Woodside. Hi, Jennifer, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Lily Taylor]

Hi.

[Jennifer]

Thank you for having me. Let me take you off speaker. First of all, I love you, Lily.

[Lily Taylor]

Thank you.

[Jennifer]

But second of all, I'm. I think I'm an amateur birder. I live in Woodside, so it's still kind of urban. But I have to say, like, over the past few years, like, I've been really in tune with the bird songs. Like, there's specific bird calls that I hear all around our house, which is just. I don't know, Like, I've been in tune trying to figure out who. Which birds coming from. And like, during the pandemic, we were really lucky because a mama bird made a nest on top of one of our air conditioners. And we got to watch the whole process. So it was, like, so much fun for the kids. Every day we'd watch and saw the eggs hatch. It was beautiful. I mean, one of the birds, one of the baby birds died. That was heartbreaking. But I'm calling because over the past few days, this egg has appeared on our window ledge. We're on the second floor, and I'm again concerned. I'm like, is this a stolen egg? What happened? What do we do?

[Alison Stewart]

Any thoughts?

[Lily Taylor]

Yeah, I mean, in a way, it's like, I guess ask that. I ask that question. Do I want to Accompany or do I want to interfere?

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, interesting.

[Lily Taylor]

And I think accompanying is usually the better, better path because they've been doing this a long time and if there's been an issue, they can, you know, maybe a crow took the egg and the crow's gonna eat it. And maybe that bird's gotta learn how to build a better nest or. But so just keep observing it. And, you know, you can also always go to the Wild Bird Fund. It's a great bird rehab in New York. You can go to their website. They have lots of tips. I think it's more like when the nestling might need some help, just in terms of getting to a safer spot. But with the egg, I don't know. I would just observe.

[Alison Stewart]

That's good advice. This text says Bird Buddy is a smart bird feeder that notifies you of a feathered visitor, captures their photos, and organizes them in a beautiful collection. That's a good tip.

[Lily Taylor]

I love Bird Buddy. Only thing is, I think we need to call it Squirrel Bird Buddy. Okay. Cause I got a squirrel there, man. But that's all right. I'm gonna figure it out. But Bird Buddy's fantastic. Big plug for that.

[Alison Stewart]

You occasionally narrate audiobooks. Did you narrate this one?

[Lily Taylor]

Yes, I did.

[Alison Stewart]

What was that like?

[Lily Taylor]

It was hard. I found I get into my head anyways with like, audio books. I don't know why. Okay. I've got voice stuff anyway.

[Alison Stewart]

You've got a great voice, though.

[Lily Taylor]

Thank you. But I was kind of like, couldn't almost get into my conservatory school because they said my voice wasn't trainable. Fa. Okay, Send them my way. Okay.

[Alison Stewart]

I got a thing to tell him.

[Lily Taylor]

Thank you. Thank you. And anyway, I have, like, little weird things around my voice, but it wasn't easy, but it was, you know, anytime we have a tough experience, I always get something out of it. And so I learned a few things. And of course, I have a. How'd you say. Do you know how's. You say that? App, website.

[Alison Stewart]

Yes, I do.

[Lily Taylor]

Which I love because I don't say. I mispronounce a lot of things. And I had to look that up. I had to use him through my book, throughout the book. And that's okay. It is what it is.

[Alison Stewart]

We have a caller who says, I'm 22 and it seems like an older person hobby, but I'd like to join any tips for younger people.

[Lily Taylor]

Oh, honey. Yeah. No, it's totally democratic. I know, that's. I'm trying to break the whole stigma. Go. Just start looking at a bird. Just start looking out your window. Just start looking around. And don't worry about gear or apps or books. Just follow it. Just look at the bird and stay with it for more than, like, two minutes and see what happens.

[Alison Stewart]

How do you fit birding into your day job as an actor?

[Lily Taylor]

Oh, easy peasy. It's like, I. Cause they're everywhere and I'm. I'm not fussy. Like, I can. I'm. I love, like, just, like, what's happening around. So even just the other day, I was on set and there was some cool bird stuff happening. A mockingbird was going through the night while we were trying to shoot, and, you know, people were like, what's that? Why does that keep going? What's happening? You know, I'm like, I know it's a mockingbird. Anyway, the thing is, is, like, you can just stand and a bird's anywhere. So it's, it's, in fact, it gives me moments of peace.

[Alison Stewart]

Lily Taylor will be discussing her book at the strand tonight at 7pm the name of it is Turning to the Beauty and Power of Noticing. Thanks to all our callers and folks who texted in. And thanks, Lily, for coming by the studio.

[Lily Taylor]

Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

There's more, all of it on the way. Music from Bell's Larson. Stay with us. This is Ira Flato, host of Science Friday. For over 30 years, the science Friday.

[Lily Taylor]

Team has been reporting quality science and.

[Alison Stewart]

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[Lily Taylor]

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[Alison Stewart]

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